MLB Draft: From June to July – A Journey of Dreams and Aspirations

As we watch the excitement unfold in today’s MLB Draft, it’s fascinating to reflect on how this pivotal event has evolved over the years. The draft now takes place in July, a shift from the traditional date of June 5 that I vividly remember from my teenage years.

Back in 1990, when I was a 14-year-old eagerly following the draft, I discovered my love for baseball through a series of fortuitous events. It all began in the fall of 1989 during my freshman year at Westlake High School in Atlanta. I was playing football then but found myself at the baseball field one day, where Atlanta Police Officer T.J. Wilson noticed my talent. Whether I was hitting or throwing, I can’t recall exactly, but I wish T.J. were still here to tell the story of our first meeting.

T.J.’s daughter Joya was a senior at Westlake, and his son Duane was soon to join us as a freshman. T.J. must have been assessing the potential of our team, and within weeks of knowing him, he arranged for me to take batting lessons with Denny Pritchett, a professional batting coach in Forsyth County. It was a revelation to see current MLB players and young kids training together, and for the first time, I realized coaching could be a paid profession.

My journey took a significant turn in the summer of 1990 when I had my first tryout with the Chicago Cubs, my childhood favorite team. Back then, MLB teams held free agent tryouts nationwide, attracting men from 18 to 80. Thanks to T.J.’s connections, I got to try out at just 14.

I was drafted by the Cubs on June 5, 1994, during my senior year at Westlake High School.

But I chose not to sign, instead opting to play at Georgia State University to mature physically, emotionally, and mentally. Despite playing well at State, my academic performance was lacking, leading to my transfer to Dekalb College, where history repeated itself. Nonetheless, I was drafted again by the Cubs on June 5, 1996, and this time, I signed and officially became a Cubbie.

Injuries cut my career short, but they also paved the way for a new chapter as a professional hitting coach, much like Denny Pritchett. For over 25 years, I’ve dedicated myself to this profession, contributing to the development of 43 Major League Baseball players through Diamond Directors, a business my wife Kelli and I founded to provide a blueprint for success for diamond sport athletes.

We’ve had the honor of coaching future MLB Silver Sluggers, Gold Glove winners, Rookies of the Year, Home Run Derby Champions, World Series Champions, and MVP winners. Today, as the MLB Draft takes place on July 14th, the projected first pick is Charlie Condon, an outfielder/third baseman from the University of Georgia.

In addition to Diamond Directors, Kelli and I co-founded LEAD Center for Youth, a sports-based youth development organization with a mission to teach Black youth how to overcome the curveballs of crime, poverty, and racism through baseball and tennis. Our LEAD Ambassadors baseball team aims to develop Black boys into Major League Players and Major League Citizens.

Looking ahead, my goal is for the first picks in the MLB Draft by 2034 to come from our LEAD Ambassadors Baseball Program. It’s an ambitious goal, but not an impossible one. We have the boys with the desire, talent, work ethic, support, and protection to achieve it. As the Chief Visionary Officer for LEAD, it’s my duty to set this goal and strive toward it.

Let’s make it happen. The future of baseball is bright, and it starts with nurturing the potential of today’s youth.


Connect with LEAD Center for Youth: For more information on our programs and how you can support, visit LEAD Center for Youth.

Why we value and empower learners

Last week, we discussed what development means to LEAD Center For Youth, emphasizing our commitment to nurturing Black boys in Metropolitan Atlanta through deliberate effort. Development, as we define it, is the Deliberate Effort to Value and Empower Learners to Obtain Personal Mastery and Excellence through Nurturing Training.

This week, we delve into how we Value and Empower Learners.

Empowerment Through Responsibility and Authority

At LEAD, empowering learners means giving them responsibility and authority. Recently, during a LEAD Ambassador practice led by our Ambassador Head Coach Desmond Stegall, I witnessed our Black boys being empowered during batting practice at our LEAD Center For Youth indoor training facility.

After warming up on their own, they divided into their own hitting groups using our three tunnels and Swing Away Machine station. They executed their drills independently for 30 minutes before our coaches joined them for the next 30-minute block. In our performance games, we often have our Ambassadors play without traditional first base and third base coaches, further empowering them to take control.

The Value of Empowerment

We empower our boys because they are incredibly valuable. Identified as young Black boys with the potential to become strong Black men, Major League Players, and Major League Citizens, they receive the combined support of their families, supporters, and LEAD.

While we cannot serve all Black boys in Atlanta through baseball due to limited time, energy, and resources, those who wear the Ambassador logo are deemed the most valuable to our year-round programming from Metro Atlanta.

Learning Styles and Leadership

Kelli and I believe that to be a great leader, one must first be a great learner. Auditory, kinesthetic, and visual are three top learning styles. My dominant learning style is visual, and in my 25-plus years of professional coaching, I have learned to assess my players’ learning styles and coach them accordingly.

This skill development stems from valuing my players. I don’t know everything about coaching, but I want to learn and encourage Black boys to love learning.

Next week, we will break down our development definition focusing on Obtaining Personal Mastery and Excellence.

Remember, this definition belongs to LEAD and cannot be used without our written permission.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

For more information, visit L.E.A.D. Center for Youth today.

If you found this inspiring and thought-provoking, or if you have any questions, comments or concerns, add me on Discord and let’s go deeper.

C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an associate scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, C.J. has more than 22 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J. Stewart has a proven system of development and a track record of success that can work for you.

 

What development means to LEAD Center For Youth

At LEAD Center For Youth, development is more than just a word; it embodies our commitment and mission. We define development as the Deliberate Effort to Value and Empower Learners to Obtain Personal Mastery and Excellence through Nurturing Training.

This definition guides everything we do, especially our highest level of programming, the LEAD Ambassadors. These Black boys from Metropolitan Atlanta are nurtured to become Major League Players and Major League Citizens. Achieving this requires a partnership with LEAD, their parents and additional supporters.

Over the next few weeks, I will break down our development definition, starting with the concept of deliberate effort.

Deliberate Effort in LEAD’s Development Approach

Deliberate effort is at the core of our development philosophy. It’s about intentionality in every action we take, ensuring we create the best possible environment for our youth to thrive. Here are some key examples of how we implement deliberate effort at LEAD:

  • Who We Recruit to Develop
  • Our Namesake
  • What We Wear
Who We Recruit to Develop

We specifically recruit Black American boys from metro Atlanta because this is home for my wife, Kelli, and me. Kelli, the CEO of LEAD, was born in Atlanta and raised in Oglethorpe County. She graduated from Cedar Shoals High School in 1996. I was born and raised in Atlanta, graduating from Westlake High School in 1994.

We now live in Cobb County, with our 5,500-square-foot LEAD Center For Youth indoor training facility located in the Historic West End of Atlanta. Our deliberate focus on serving Black boys from our community is rooted in our personal and professional commitment to giving back to the place that shaped us.

Our Namesake

The LEAD Ambassadors pay homage to U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young, a childhood hero of mine and a global icon. Andrew Young supports LEAD and represented the diplomatic and leadership qualities we aim to instill in our youth when he served as the U.S. Ambassador. Just as he and Hank Aaron were present at my baseball games at Cascade Youth Organization (CYO), we strive to be there for our boys, inspiring them to greatness.

The term “Ambassador” signifies a government-designated diplomatic representative, and our LEAD Ambassadors embody this role by promoting the game of baseball and serving as inspirations in Atlanta and beyond.

What We Wear

Our colors, power red and black, are symbolic. Red represents life, and black stands for power. Growing up in Atlanta, I was surrounded by the powerful red of brands like Coca-Cola, the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, Delta, and CNN. These global brands symbolize the strength and vitality we want our boys to associate with.

LEAD, while not yet a household name, is recognized worldwide for our mission since our founding in 2007. Our organization uses baseball and tennis to teach Black youth how to overcome crime, poverty, and racism. Our vision is to develop Black youth into Ambassadors who will lead Atlanta and, ultimately, the world.

At LEAD, excellence is non-negotiable. We lead with deliberate effort to ensure our youth receive the best training and support possible.

Next week, I will delve into how we Value and Empower Learners. Stay tuned as we continue to explore what development means to LEAD Center For Youth.

Remember, this definition belongs to LEAD and cannot be used without our written permission.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

For more information, visit L.E.A.D. Center for Youth today.

If you found this inspiring and thought-provoking, or if you have any questions, comments or concerns, add me on Discord and let’s go deeper.

C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an associate scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, C.J. has more than 22 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J. Stewart has a proven system of development and a track record of success that can work for you.

Why you should follow your mind, not your emotions

Instincts are not mere feelings; they are responses honed by experience and knowledge. While our thoughts can influence our feelings, they cannot alter our instincts. Instincts are the natural actions we take, often unconsciously, that steer us away from harm and toward our true passions, desires, and interests.

To truly excel, we must rely on our minds rather than our emotions to guide us.

As a transformative coach with over two decades of experience, I’ve used baseball as a tool to develop not just Major League Players, but also Major League Citizens. Coaching, much like directing a movie, involves guiding individuals through the stages of life: the beginning, the plot, the climax, and the ending.

In both baseball and life, these stages are navigated through the development of instincts, which are cultivated through repeated experiences.

When reflecting on the decline of Black Americans in baseball, it’s alarming to note the stark contrast between 1976, when 18% of MLB players were Black and 2024, where only 5.7% are. This decline highlights a significant loss of the natural instincts that once thrived during the Negro League Baseball era, where playing baseball was integral to life and personal development.

To reclaim these instincts, we must focus on consistent practice and experience. In baseball, this translates to achieving at least 1,000 at-bats to develop solid hitting instincts. This can be accomplished through consistent play over years, but it comes at a cost.

The financial burden of participating in competitive baseball—travel, accommodation, food, and other expenses—can be substantial. But the investment is necessary to avoid future regrets and to build the essential instincts.

Costs of competitive baseball:

  • Tournament: 4-6 days
  • Hotel: $200 per day
  • Food: $75-$100 per person per day
  • Other expenses: Gas, rental car, airline tickets, tournament entry fees, etc.

Either you pay now or you pay later with the regret of not making the investment of time and money to earn instincts. Additionally, I recommend getting at-bats against quality pitching in head-to-head competition rather than in games. Find a top-notch pitcher and pay him if necessary.

A productive at-bat is:

  1. Seeing at least six pitches regardless of the outcome
  2. Drawing a walk
  3. Hitting the ball hard regardless of the outcome
  4. Advancing a runner

My coaching experience proves that a productive at-bat 50% of the time can yield a hit 30-40% of the time, depending on the caliber of pitching. So, get 500 productive at-bats out of the 1,000 and you will develop the instincts that you need.

You can travel the world to get the 1,000 at-bats, or you can get some in your community. I would pay an elite pitcher $50 to throw me 50 pitches on his bullpen day. Fifty pitches could be at least eight at-bats on that day.

Earning instincts isn’t free.

Instincts are earned through consistent practice and experience, not feelings. By focusing on our minds and committing to the necessary investments, we can develop the instincts that drive success both on the field and in life.

For more information, visit L.E.A.D. Center for Youth today.

If you found this inspiring and thought-provoking, or if you have any questions, comments or concerns, add me on Discord and let’s go deeper.

C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an associate scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, C.J. has more than 22 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J. Stewart has a proven system of development and a track record of success that can work for you.

The True Meaning of Development: A Comprehensive Approach

In the world of sports, the term “development” has become almost trite. Parents and players often ask for development, yet many struggle to articulate what it truly means. Consequently, they settle for anything that feels good or seems better than what they currently have. At LEAD, we define development as the process of becoming. This process involves a series of steps to achieve a goal, and it is through this structured approach that human beings evolve and excel.

Defining Development

Development is the Deliberate Effort to Value and Empower Learners to Obtain Personal Mastery and Excellence through Nurturing Training.

The Four Phases of Development at LEAD

Years ago, I devised a simple yet effective development process for LEAD, encompassing four key phases:

  1. Assessment: Understanding what players can and cannot do.
  2. Engagement: Teaching players to do what they cannot do.
  3. Empowerment: Granting responsibility and authority for what they can do.
  4. Application: Performing skills in front of those who can reward them financially for what they can do.

While this process can be unpacked in greater detail, I won’t reveal all the intricacies for free.

The Core Elements of Development

Development requires struggle. It often pushes individuals to the brink of quitting. It necessitates celebration, particularly reparations for Black American players who have been historically marginalized. Development demands patience, defined as waiting without anger. It calls for competent coaching, where the coach knows how to cultivate an environment conducive to learning. Progressing through the development process must be earned, not given. Finally, development requires truth-telling, prioritizing facts over feelings.

Development vs. Cultivation

I am convinced that legions of Black boys show up to showcases knowing how to play without the need for a lot of further coaching. Baseball has been played by Black men since 1845 when the game was invented. We know how to play. We don’t know everything there is to know about the game and how to play, but we know enough that if we had more cultivation than coaching, we would be competing at the collegiate and Major League Baseball level at numbers competitive with our white counterparts. More cultivation is what Black parents should be asking for rather than more coaching.

Cultivation is about growing. Think about the agriculture process of growing food. There is a process of tilling, planting, and harvesting. Players and parents can easily understand the planting (coaching) and harvesting (receiving scholarships and MLB Draft Signing Bonus), but the tilling happens first. It is the humbling of Black boys with love, care, and empathy, emphasizing that you can’t play this game for yourself because the number of Black men competing in college and the pros is at an all-time low. The tilling is where we establish the why, which is more vital than the what, the how, and the when.

To ensure a robust development process, here are five essential questions that players and parents should ask coaches:

  1. What specific steps are involved in your development process?
  2. How do you assess a player’s current abilities and identify areas for improvement?
  3. What methods do you use to engage and teach new skills to players?
  4. How do you empower players and provide them with responsibility and authority?
  5. Can you provide examples of how players have successfully applied their skills in real-world scenarios and been financially rewarded for what they can do?

By asking these questions, parents and players can better understand the development process and ensure it aligns with their goals.

The LEAD Commitment

At LEAD, we are dedicated to a multifaceted journey of development that requires intentional effort, patience, and the right environment. Our mission at the LEAD Center For Youth is to use the sport of baseball to help Black boys overcome the three curveballs that threaten their success: crime, poverty, and racism. Through our LEAD Ambassadors program, we aim to cultivate Black boys to become Major League Players and Major League Citizens.

Believing that through this process, God will receive the glory, we strive to make a lasting impact on the lives of the players we serve.

photo by iSmooth